‘He drove me mad’ – Former coach opens up on Rangers mainstay
Alfredo Morelos’s first footballing mentor has lifted the lid on how he help mould the Rangers star into the player he is today.
Jose Vicene Fernandez Arrieta founded Fumigadores de Cerete, the Colombian club where the 23-year-old started playing the game as a five-year-old.
And he has revealed the pride he still feels at seeing his former protege tear things up for the Gers.
Speaking to the Daily Record, he said: “I get goosebumps when I sat in front of the TV with my sons, watching Alfredo play professionally because the memories of this little boy keep going back and forward in my head.
“People don’t know how proud I am. When I saw him playing for Colombia it was the biggest moment football has given me and my family.
“I was Alfredo’s coach right from the beginning. He joined us at the age of five and eventually moved up when he was seven.
“I remember when he played for me he only kicked the ball with his right foot. Even when the ball was at his left foot he automatically changed to shoot with his right foot.
“He drove me mad! I sent him to do one lap running around the entire pitch every time he kicked the ball with the right foot instead of the left. I did this in order to force him to use his left foot.”
Can Morelos make Arrieta proud again on Thursday night?
Here’s hoping so.
The South American hasn’t been at his best over the past few matches, but then again, few in a Light Blue shirt have.
El Bufalo hasn’t scored in the league since Boxing Day, although he did bag against Hamilton in the Scottish Cup Round of 16 clash not too long ago.
It does feel as if he is a bit of a different animal beast in the Europa League this term though.
So far, he has 14 goals in 14 games, and is the top scorer in the competition proper going into the knockout stages.
If he can rekindle some of the magic that we saw from him in the first half of the season against Braga, then Arrieta could be left grinning once more.
In other Rangers news, Pedro Mendes delivers verdict on Gers v ‘flying’ Braga.